As he was growing up in Paterson, N.J., Levi Holton always had hopes and dreams of playing major college basketball, much like a fellow product of Paterson Eastside High School Marquis Webb, who had a great career at Rutgers-New Brunswick, had a brief stint as a professional in Hungary and New Zealand and the NBA D-League and served as an assistant coach at Wagner College for six years.

"Marquis Webb would always talk to me about playing Division I basketball," Holton said. "He would always come by us and bring some of the players he played with overseas. He taught us about the right way and the wrong way to go. He was a major influence on me. I had a lot of influences over the years."

Holton was believed to be headed toward an NCAA Division I scholarship, but then the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic strangled the world and pretty much put Holton's scholarship dreams in the proverbial toilet.

"It was really tough to wrap my head around it," Holton said. "I knew I was one of the best senior players around. I obviously felt upset about it. I felt COVID shut down some of the opportunities I had."

Holton played in an outdoor fall league in Montclair and it was there that he caught the eye of Rutgers-Newark head men's basketball coach Joe Loughran.

"I also saw him in a couple of his high school games," Loughran said of Holton. "We got a little lucky because no one really recruited him."

Loughran made sure that he contacted the 6-foot guard.

"He reached out to me," Holton said of Loughran. "He showed a lot of interest in me. He would call me every two or three days just to check up on me."

When Holton decided to visit the school, he was impressed. He was also impressed that a degree from Rutgers-Newark is the same exact degree offered some 30 miles south in New Brunswick. There's no difference. It's all a Rutgers degree.

"For me, it was all about the education," Holton said. "I wasn't really worried that I wasn't playing Division I anymore. I realized that the Rutgers degree was the same in Newark as it is in New Brunswick. Rutgers is one of the best schools in the country. I was excited to be a part of the program. Not too many people get that kind of opportunity."

Holton waited to see if any other bigger schools were going to offer some sort of a scholarship package. No such thing. In June of 2021, Holton declared his intentions to head to Rutgers-Newark and become a member of the Scarlet Raiders.

"I was waiting to see if any other offers would come, but they didn't come," Holton said.

Holton got over the disappointment quickly and was ready to make his presence felt at R-N.

"For sure, my confidence about playing is through the roof," Holton said. "I think it's because I've always played with older people, guys who played ball overseas."

So the 19-year-old Holton had no qualms about joining a ready-made team filled with veteran players, mostly seniors.

"I honestly never really ever gave it a thought," Holton said. "I just play. That's the type of person I am."

Loughran knew that Holton would play a significant role with the Scarlet Raiders, who are enjoying their best season over the last few years. The Scarlet Raiders just completed the regular season with a win over The College of New Jersey to push their overall record to 16-8 and their New Jersey Athletic Conference mark to 13-5, good for a third place finish in the standings leading into the NJAC playoffs next Tuesday.

"He's probably the best athlete we've ever had in our program," Loughran said. "Levi has such power to him that makes him a great athlete and you can't teach that. He can jump out of the gym."

On a Scarlet Raider roster that features a host of seniors, Holton is the lone freshman who gets considerable playing time. He's averaging six points and four rebounds per game. His season high was 18 points in a game against FDU-Florham and just recently scored 13 in an NJAC showdown with Rowan.

"He just needs to get a little more aggressive on the offensive end," Loughran said. "Once he gets a little more aggressive, he's going to take off. He has a really good foundation to him and it's only going to get better for him. I think it's safe to say that his future is very bright here."

Holton is happy to be the youngster on a team with seasoned veterans.

"There are a lot of people here to guide in the right direction," Holton said. "They support me and answer my questions. Honestly, it's been everyone helping me. Everyone has a different point of view and that helps me. I'm always asking questions."

Holton is majoring in public administration, but doesn't know what direction he will take in the form of a career. Right now, he's just soaking up everything, learning with every step of the way. Holton is just scratching the surface of what he might become in a few years.

"It's been a lot of fun," Holton said. "I've been on winning teams before, but this is different. We're all having fun together. We all emphasize the positive side of each other. For sure, this is just the start for me. I expect big things, especially with Coach Loughran as my coach. He's one of the best coaches I've ever played for."

Loughran obviously loves the kid.

"He's a very humble, quiet kid," Loughran said. "He's very respectful. He's everything you want in a kid."